California Governor Approves 'ShakeAlert' Early Earthquake Warning System Jonathan J. Cooper - Insurance Journal
go to original October 3, 2016

ShakeAlert: An earthquake warning from your cellphone (UC Berkeley)

Californians will begin getting warnings of impending earthquakes through their cellphones, radios and other devices within the next year or two as the state ramps up a lifesaving early warning system, emergency management officials said.

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation to develop the statewide warning system. Combined with $10 million from the state budget Brown approved earlier this year, California has the pieces in place to begin rolling out the warning system called ShakeAlert, said Mark Ghilarducci, head of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

Seismic early warning systems are designed to detect the first shock waves from a large jolt, calculate the strength and alert people before the slower but damaging waves spread. Mexico, China and Japan are among the countries already using them.

In the United States, California is farthest along in developing early warnings that federal officials hope to expand to Oregon and Washington.

“After the quake hits and the shaking stops, we want our citizens to bounce back, to survive. But we also want our businesses to recover rapidly,” Ghilarducci said at a news conference at the state emergency response headquarters in Rancho Cordova, outside Sacramento. “We honestly believe by implementing this it will help in that endeavor.”

Earthquake early warning can allow train operators to slam on the breaks, surgeons to pull their sharp tools out of a patient’s body and schoolchildren and office workers to duck and cover. Automated systems can open fire station doors and shut down gas lines to allow for a quick emergency response and limit fire damage.

Read the rest at Insurance Journal

Related: 35 Mini Earthquakes Hit Near California's San Andreas Fault (Dailymail.com)

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!